1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus and an imaging apparatus control method. In particular, the present invention relates to a technique for controlling a timing of shooting according to a result of a face detection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, a method for controlling a shutter timing according to a user's desire is discussed in order to implement a self timer shooting more useful than a self timer function that uses a fixed timer value used in self timer shooting. More specifically, a conventional imaging apparatus is capable of starting self timer shooting when a person's face is detected. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-254358 discusses a method for detecting a person's face from data of a captured image and for starting self timer shooting if it is determined that the detected face is not swaying. Thus, the method is capable of controlling a shutter timing according to a user's desire.
Suppose that an imaging apparatus like this, which is capable of controlling the shutter timing, is used and that a user desires to shoot images of a plurality of frames by self timer shooting. In this case, the user is to come back to where the camera is placed in order to execute the above described self timer shooting every time an image is shot. Accordingly, if the imaging apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-254358 is used, a user is to perform troublesome camera operations.
In addition, suppose that a plurality of images of a previously set number is continuously shot after a person is detected. In this case, if the user desires to shoot a plurality of frames of images of different poses or persons, there is no timing to change the poses or persons. Accordingly, the above-described conventional method may not be useful in securing user convenience.